Tile-fettling machine



Nov. 15, 1927. v 1,648,966

M. J. SOUTHWICK TILE FETTLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 22, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l 1 @AMTM 9722a,... ym J; WWW-4 a,

WITNESSES Nov. 15, 1927. 1,648,966

M. .1. SOUTHWICK TILE FETTLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 22. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 a 3 N Q N N 1: 1 E

Q m; N w r i 311155:- H 2 11 1 INVENTOR Maw w h $934M.

WITNESSES Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

"UNITED/STATES 1 1,648,966 PATENT, OFFICE.

MYB-ON J. soUTnwroK. or coLLneEnrL'L, PENNSYLVANIA,- Assmnon, BY MESNEAs SIGNMENTS, T0 ROSSMAN conronsrron', or BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, A

U CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

T LE-recruits MACHINE.

Application filed September 22, 1926. Serial 160. 137,082.

This invention relates to tile fettlingnia chines, more particularly toa machine for smoothing or trimming the edges of t le after leaving thetile press in which they are -formed and before they are fired.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a tile fejttlingmachineofsimple and durable. mechanical construction, and in which allof the movable'elements are actuated from a common driving source.

Another object of this invention is to i provide a tile fettling machinewhich shall be adapted to fettle or smooth clay tile in relatively largequantities, the machine being adapted to receive all of the tile fromamultiple tile-forming press and continuously convey the tile away fromthe press through a number of fettlingmembers and cleaning brushes forsmoothingthe imperfectly formed edges and forchamferingthe same ifdesired.

Tile fettling machines have been heretofore proposed which function totrim the edges of tile by passing the tile on a movable support-throughthe fettling members tobring the latter to act upon opposite edgesthereof,-and to subsequently turn the tile by suitable means to presentthe untrimmed edges of the tile to additionalfettling members. The priorart devices are objectionable mainly on account ol-their limitedcapacity for handling the tile. This has been done by providing anobstruction in the path of the tile which was of such form as to causethe tile to pivotor turn on its support. to bring the untrimmed edgesinalignment with the fettling members, the turning means being capable ofhandling but a single tile at. a time; v 1

In accordance with the present invention means are provided for turninga plurality of tile passing through the fettling devices simultaneously,whereby the capacity of the machine is materially increased. In additionmeans are provided for guiding the tile as they pass from thetile-formingpressto the fettling members in such a manner that afterthey have been acted upon to trim some of their edgesthey are cond'uctedto the turning mechanism which rearranges the tile on their movablesupport to bringthem in proper working alignn'ient with subse quent oradditional fettling members.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of dusting orsmoothing rollsor brushes which act upon the tile after they have beensubjected to the fettling operation to remove any unevenness or looseparticles adhering. thereto prior to subjecting the tileftoa coatingoperation for producing a glaze or finish thereon.

, In. the accompanying drawings constituting-apart hereof and in whichlike refer ence characters designate like parts, Fig. 1 is a top planview of a fet-tling machine embodying the principles of this invention;Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof partially in section; Fig. 3is a vertical sectional view partially, in elevation, of a novel form offettling member, and Fig. 4 is an, elevationalview of a portion of thefettling do vice illustrating a tile being acted upon by a pair offettling members.

Referring to Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings, the structure thereinillustrated comprises a frame or base consisting of a pair of sldeframes 1 supportedon a standardQ formedof pipes or other structuralmembers suitably joined or secured and reinforced toprovideadequatestrength to the machine frame. .Upon the ends of the sideframes 1 and at the intermediate portion thereof a plurality of rollersor spindles 3-and 4: are rotatablyjournaled, the spindles 3 carryingan'endless conveyorbelt 5 and the spindles {la similar belt .6, which,respectively, pass around driving drums '7 and 8. actuated by a commondrive belt 9passing around a sheave or pulley 10 of a countershaft 11which is actuated by a drive motor -12. Suitable slackadjustment ortension devices 13 are provided for-the belt 6 to take up the slack thecount-ershaft 11 by belts 17 and.18.

' A plurality of fettling devices such as is shown in 3, are mounted onthe top portion of the machine above themoving conveyor belt 5 by meansof angle brackets 20 which extend across the side frames 1 trans verselyof the path of movement. of the belt 5'. The fettlers consist'of discs21 which are secured by a screw 22 and collar to a yieldable supportingstrap 2 1. which is clampedto an adjustable block '25 mounted thebeltand to keep it taut at the upper may also be angularly adjustable bymoving the same in its dove-tailed slot 29 and secur-.

ing it in its adjust-ed position by the set screw 30. a

The purpose of making the fettling member of disc shape is to permitadjustment of the fettling edge which in the disc member comprisesloosening the screw 22 and rotating the disc 21 a fraction of a turnuntil. a clean and neat cutting or trimming edge is presented to thetile with which it comes into engagement.

As shown in Fig. 1 a plurality of guides 32 are secured by angle bars 33in parallel re- 'lation to constitute guideways for receiving individualtile as it enters upon the conveyor belt 5. The guides are correlatedwith the fettling device 21 in such a manner that I the tile passingtherethrough contacts with the fettlers in the region where they are tobe trimmed which is usually the edges, which, inmost instances, arechamiered or beveled as they pass through. the fettlers.

After the tile has passed through the guides and the first group offettlers 21 they pass along the conveyor belt 5 in a row extendingacross the path of movement of the belt until some of them engage abaflie member 35 and some a baflle member 36, W l'llCh are pivoted to across brace 37 and one of the angle bars 20 respectively, as shownandare adapted to swing through arcs limited by the stops 35 and 36respectively, The battle members are of such width as to en gage aplurality of tiles simultaneously and since the adherence between thetile and their movable support 5 maintains Contact of the tile with. thebaffle member they will be simultaneously turned through an arc asillustrated by the dotted line to rearrangetheir position in a mannerthat will bring the untrimmed edges, that is, the edges that were notacted upon bythe first fettling device in alignment with thefettling-members in the intermediate portion of the machine. After thetile have been rearranged or turned as shown in the illustration, theyare conveyed through theadditional fettling device which smooths ortrims their edges The tile then passes underneath the brush 14 whichremoves the dust or fine particles from the surface of the tile andsubsequently passes over the brush 15 which. cleans the underside of thetile.

When the tile has passed out of contact with the battle arms 35 thelatter spring back to their normal position which-is transversely of thepath of movementof the conveyor belt 5 until they become againengaged-by tile movinginto contact therewith. For the purpose ofmaintainingthe bafflemembers in their normal position a yieldingrestraining means such as a rubberstrap or spring may be applied in theregion of its pivotal 'oint. a

3 It is evident from the foregoing description of the-invention thattile fettling machines made in accordance therewith provide simpleandefficient means for fettling all of the edges of a plurality of tilessimultaneously by passing them in rows through suitable guidesunderneath and in engagement with fettling members, and forautomatically turning the tile after they 'areacted upon by one group offettling devices to present the untrimmededges to an additional groupoffettling members to finish the tile.

It is further obvious that tile.;ffet tl ing machines of this kind areespecially adapted for fettling tile received from multiple tile formingpresses having a relatively large quantity production.

Although one of the embodiments o f the invention has been hereinillustrated and described it will be obvious to those skilled in the artthat various modifications may be made in the-detailsof constructionandin the arrangement'of the severalcooperating parts without departingfrom the principles herein-set forth. 1

I claim:

1. In atile fett-ling machine thecombinationwith a movable support forconveying tile before it is-fired, o-f-a plurality of fettling-devicesfor acting upon opposite edges of the tile passing therebetween, meansfor turning a row of tile simultaneously to dis posetheirfe t-t lededgestransversely to the pathof movement of their support, and additionalfettling members adapted to act upon the untrimmedf edges of the tile.-

2;; In a-tile fettling machine thecoinbination' with a movablesupport'for conveying tile-beforeit is fired, of a plurality of fettlingdevicesadapted to simultaneously act uponopposite-edges of aplurality-oftile .disposed ina; row transversely ;-to the path of-'movementofsaidsupport, means for turning a plurality of tile simultaneously, andadditional fettling members adapted to act upon theuntrimmed edges ofthe tile after itis turned; j

3. In a tile fettling machine, the combination-with a movable supportfor conveying tile before' it is'fired, of'a' plurality of fettlingdevieesadapted; to simultaneously act upon opposite edges of a pluralityof tile, means for simultaneously turning-or rearranging all of thetile: on said support after it has passed said fettling devices, andadditional fettlingdevices for acting upon the'untrimmed edges of saidtile after it is 7 turned. e

4.: Ina tile fettling machine, the combinalOQ tion with a movablesupport for conveying tile before it is fired, of guides fordistributing the tile in a row transversely of the path of movement ofsaid support, fettling devices in cooperative alignment with said.guides to act upon opposite edges of the tile, bai'lies mounted forpivotal movement in the path of movement of said tile and adapted toengage the same to arrange them in rows at an angle to their originaldisposition, and additional fettling devices for acting upon thenut-rimmed edges of said tile.

5. In a tile fettling machine, the combination with a movable supportfor conveying tile before it is fired, of guides and bafiies forarranging and turning the tile on said support, and groups of fettlingdevices for acting upon the edges of said tile, said fettling devicescomprising angularly adjustable cutting discs.

6. In a tile fettling machine, the combination with a movable supportfor conveying tile before it is fired, of guides and bafiies forarranging and turning the tile on said for arranging and'turning thetile on said support, and groups of fettling devices for acting upon theedges of said tile, said fettling devices comprising cutting discsrotatably adjustable to present new cutting edges to the tile. 7

8. In a tile fettling machine,-the combination with a movable supportfor conveying tile before it is fired, of guides and baflies forarranging and turning thetile on said support, fettling devices foracting upon the edges of the tile, and brushes for dusting the top andbottom faces-of the tile after leaving the fettling devices.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

MYRON J. SOUTHWICK.

